


Counselling

by LoveChilde



Series: C is for Caring [2]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Collection: Purimgifts Day 2, Common Cold, Community: purimgifts, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-23
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2019-03-22 22:59:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13774422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoveChilde/pseuds/LoveChilde
Summary: Garcia has a cold, JJ helps out.





	Counselling

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sapphire2309](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphire2309/gifts).



> Happy second day of Purim! Second in the series.

Garcia sneezed for the third time in as many minutes, and blew her nose with a quickly stifled irritated noise. 

“What’s up, Garcia? Seasonal cold caught up with you?” JJ asked, and barely kept herself from taking a step backwards. They’d only just returned from four days away, and the boys had been sniffly on and off for a few weeks. January was getting to everybody. Garcia scowled.

“I thought it’d go away.” Her voice was scratchy and she winced as she spoke. “But it looks like it’s not. Phooey.” She coughed.

“Just try not to give it to anybody else...why don’t you go home, P? You look like hell.” The tone of JJ’s voice was carefully set to caring rather than offensive, and Garcia, unoffended, just shrugged. 

“Can’t, there’s too much work.” 

They all regularly came to work ill, and anything that wasn’t catching or life threatening was waved off as a mild problem, but Garcia really did look and sound terrible. 

JJ nodded, allowing the tech expert her autonomy, but made sure to reroute work that was headed her way that day and kept her supplied with tea and the occasional snack. Still, around five Garcia was visibly drooping, and looked even more miserable than before. 

“You should really head home, Garcia. Take an early night.” By now they’d all noticed how sick she was, and Rossi stopped by her room to check on her. 

“But sir, I can’t,” it was almost a wail, the slightly desperate tone drawing JJ’s full attention so that she stood up from her desk and moved to join them. “I have my grief counseling group tonight, I can’t just ditch them. They’re already dealing with loss, stability is so important for them…” She blew her nose again, and JJ wasn’t sure whether the red eyes were caused by her cold, or by the thought of not keeping her commitments. 

“You can’t take them like this, Garcia. If nothing else, they might catch whatever it is you have,” Rossi pointed out very reasonably. She nodded, then shook her head.

“I have to.”

“I can fill in for you, if you like,” JJ suggested. After all, dealing with families had been her main job for over a decade, and her certification was up to date. “Just let them know, see if it’s okay, and catch me up on the details, so I know what I’m looking at and where to go.”

“On my god, really?” Garcia squeaked, then coughed. “You’d cover for me? But you haven’t done this in a while, I thought you were glad to be rid of it.”

“I can go back to it for an evening, it’s no problem,” JJ smiled gently. “Will can handle the kids alone, we came back a day early so I think he’s pretty much sorted for tonight anyway. And you need the rest.”

“I really do,” Garcia slumped. “Thanks, JJ, seriously. Think I can ask by text?”

“I’m sure you can. If you tell me who to talk to, I can make the call.” 

“You’re the absolute best. Thank you so much. Here.” Garcia handed over her box of tissues, “They’ll need it more than I do. You’re sure it’s okay?”

“Totally sure,” JJ promised her. “What are friends for?”

 

[](http://s1245.photobucket.com/user/Gills8/media/hearts%20and%20kleenex.jpg.html)

**Author's Note:**

> Once again, beta by [IShouldBeWriting](http://archiveofourown.org/users/IShouldBeWriting) and I am ever grateful.


End file.
